Virtualization promises benefits for small companies too

Virtualization offers numerous benefits that allow data storage administrators to segment and maximize the space available on servers and other virtual machines (VMs). On paper, that sounds like something every company can use, regardless of size or industry.

However, a notion has persisted for much of the technology’s existence – which is now closing out its first decade – that virtualization is strictly for larger corporations. But it’s obvious that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) short on resources can also benefit from the technology’s many capabilities.

A recent CIO magazine report compiled a list of some of the more significant benefits for SMBs. As is often the case, the magazine’s discussion of virtualization begins with server efficiency.

“As you no doubt already know, the traditional and most compelling reason for implementing server-side virtualization is to make more efficient use of computing resources with regards to processor cycles and RAM,” Paul Mah wrote for CIO.

By working with VMs, SMBs can see cost reductions in terms of maintenance and capital expenses needed for physical servers. With virtualization, Mah noted, fewer servers must be purchased in order to replace the aging systems that are already in place.

As SMBs become more comfortable with virtualization they can expand their use of VMs and leverage them in innovative ways optimize their capabilities, according to the report.

Disaster recovery and business continuity are two other areas where SMBs can experience dramatic improvement when working in a virtualized environment.

With disaster recovery, companies need the ability to restore lost data as quickly and effectively as possible. According to Mah, the process of backing up a virtualized infrastructure with copies of VM files can be much easier than accomplishing the same feat with traditional hardware servers. It also requires less backup hardware, he added.

“What this means for cash-strapped small and mid-sized business is that you could afford to buy a small number of servers to be housed at an alternative location,” Mah wrote.

Should a disaster strike, those servers can then be relocated to the company’s office and loaded with the most updated VMs.

Of course, protecting information should always be among the organization’s top priorities, and this is no different for virtualization security, a recent TechTarget report noted. When deploying a virtualized environment, companies must always ensure that data security measures are in place to safeguard critical information.